Who Killed Itachi?
by NinjaMuffinRochelle
Summary: Itachi was either killed by Deidara, Sasuke, or Naruto in a battle last night. Shikamaru is on the crime scene, can he figure it out? Rated T for some language and Mild gorefirst fanfic so dont expect much
1. So Who Did It?

**Who Killed Itachi?**

It was a cloudy day. A little gloomy. Tsunade's day was as gloomy as the sky.

Last night, Itachi was killed in a fight. He was in a fight that consisted of: Himself, Deidara, Naruto, And Sasuke.

Each person had an intention to kill him. What needed to be known was who did the deed of killing Uchiha Itachi.

Tsunade already had too much work on her hands so why not get one of Konoha's best minds to figure out the mystery? "Shizune!" Tsunade yelled.

Her assistant rushed with TonTon by her side. "Yes Tsunade-sama?" Tsunade then explained the matter and told her to find a certain someone.

A half-hour had passed when someone walked through the door. Without wasting time, Tsunade went straight to the point.

"Nara Shikamaru, you are assigned the mission to find out who killed Uchiha Itachi!" Shikamaru sighed, "Do I have to? Why not get Kakashi to do it?" Tsunade had no time for his whining. She slammed her fists on her desk.

Shikamaru jolted. He hesitated, "A man shouldn't back down to a woman." Tsunade smirked. "Just what I wanted to hear." So with that she sent him off to the scene of battle.

Shikamaru looked at the area. "What a mess. This might take a while." He stared at blood splattered on the trees, the ground, and on the rocks. He looked at the chalked outline of where Itachi's body was found.

His lower body was chalked into the ground, whereas his upper body was chalked into a tree. And on a rock several yards away was his ring, untouched but there was blood and flesh splattered around the ring.

"This is a lot of information already" Shikamaru had studied everyone's fighting techniques, and intentions.

Deidara had always wanted to beat Itachi and his Sharingan ever since Itachi had beaten Deidara into making him join Akatsuki. Sasuke simply wanted revenge and to avenge his family. Naruto wanted Itachi dead so Sasuke would come back to Konoha.

Shikamaru looked around the scene again. He spotted several items that he could use as evidence.

"Several trees are blown away. That could only be Deidara. A few of the boulders have craters in them. Naruto and his Rasengan only could make that kind of damage. And there are many holes in the ground. Anyone could have done that." Shikamaru thought to himself for a while.

"Deidara uses mostly bombs. Made of clay to be clear." He looked for any clay. He spotted clay on some of the leaves in the trees. "If the clay is high up in the trees, he must have been attacking from the air. He must have since the damaged trees are only damaged at the top, not the stump." Shikamaru thought about Deidara then looked back at Itachi's outlining. "And if Deidara had killed Itachi, Itachi's body would have been burnt and or in pieces. And to top that off nothing is blown or in pieces near the outlining." Shikamaru leaned on a tree, "So I can eliminate Deidara as a suspect which leaves Sasuke and Naruto." He smirked. This was going along quickly.

Shikamaru had put into thought of Sasuke and Naruto working together to defeat Itachi, but knowing about Sasuke, that seemed out of the question. He looked around to see if he can spot any other evidence.

He spotted a piece of white cloth and a piece of red a few feet from it. He walked over to the pieces of cloth until he saw clearly that there was a kunai pierced into the ground that pinned down a rather large piece of black clothe.

He was trying to think about the white cloth, the blood stained one and the kunai and black clothe. They were all aligned in a straight line. Shikamaru was stumped for a while until it hit him. "That's it!"

_**Flashback to the battle last night** _

_"What's wrong Sasuke? Still stuck in genjutsu?" Itachi was facing Sasuke with Sasuke's sword in his hand. Itachi wielded the sword twice through Sasuke. "Gah……….." Sasuke coughed out blood. The blood dripped onto the ground next to a piece of his robe that was sliced off. Sasuke then ripped off a piece of his robe that was sticking to a bleeding wound. He didn't want the robe to stick to the blood when it dried up. Itachi himself was covered in several cuts and wounds. "Damn Deidara, he escaped when his clay ran out." "Little brother I'll finish you!!!" Itachi wielded the sword one more time but when it was only a few inches away from Sasuke's chest, he felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder. Itachi dropped the illusion and huffed a kunai had gone through him. Itachi winced as his blood trickled down his skin. Naruto stood on a tree branch behind them. "Don't you dare kill Sasuke." Naruto was almost at his limit. "Sasuke, don't you dare die on me!"_

Shikamaru look at the scene closer. The dirt around the kunai and black clothe was spreaded out in circles. "Naruto and his Rasengan must have gone into Itachi." He backed away, but tripped into a ditch. "Eh……." Shikamaru sighed and got onto his feet. He looked back at the ditch. His eyes widened. "Th-this is!"

The ditch was stretched from the pieces of clothe all the way to Itachi's outline. Shikamaru ran back to Itachi's outline. "Why didn't I see this before?!" Shikamaru backed away and sat down onto a rock. He sighed. "Then that's settled."

_Naruto jumped from the branch with a Rasengan ready. Itachi was, for the first time, worried about himself. He was about to try genjutsu one more time. "Sasu-!" Itachi was cut off by Naruto when the raged demon fox chakra flowed from Naruto's Rasengan slashing through the Akatsuki member's upper back. "Bastard!!!" Naruto pushed the ball of chakra even further into Itachi's back. Sasuke's face became pale. He finally had a chance to kill his brother. The moment came at last. Sasuke used the last of his chakra for one last Chidori. "Itachi!!!" The force of Sasuke's hatred and Chidori blew Itachi away. Itachi's head went back as he screamed in pain. His back crashed down onto a tree. The Chidori was over. Sasuke stood over Itachi's body. Sasuke panted, "This is for the Uchiha clan. For mom and dad." He jerked his fist back out of Itachi. Itachi's eyes closed with the Sharingan stil intact. "Little brother………." Sasuke stood over Itachi, using the tree as support. "…….." Sasuke went unconscious and fell. Naruto was there to catch him. Naruto held Sasuke and looked at him with care. "So are you coming home now?"_


	2. Detective Shikamaru!

**Detective Shikamaru?!**

Shikamaru had walked out of a hospital room. He had confirmed that Sasuke had successfully killed Itachi with the help of Naruto. All he had to do was report back the Tsunade.

"yawwwwwnnn….how troublesome." Shikamaru had spent 3 hours at the hospital waiting room and another hour questioning Sasuke and Naruto.

Tsunade was back in her office filing more paperwork, signing documents, and marking off Uchiha Itachi on bingo books.

"Damn, this sure is news. The death of Itachi. Must be good news." Tsunade sighed as she joyfully sipped her sake.

"Oi, Tsunade-sama." Shikamaru said as he came into the room as if everything he had done early was a piece of cake.

Tsunade looked up to Shikamaru. She sighed as she put down her sake. She raised her arm up as if she was expecting something to be given to her. Shikamaru shifted his shoulders around. He was glad he could avoid a pointless conversation. He handed Tsunade his report. She glanced through then looked back to him. Her brown eyes seemed to tell him that he may leave now.

Later that day

"Shizune!" Tsunade shouted. Her assistant came in quickly to not upset the Hokage.

"Hai, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune calmly answered.

"Take a look at Nara Shikamaru's report on Itachi's death." Tsunade tossed papers to Shizune.

After several minutes, Shizune looked up from the papers with a look of astonishment.

"Th-this level of work. Ar-are you thinking about that?" Shizune stuttered. Tsunade nodded.

"Call him back."

**An Hour Later**

Shikamaru came walking in with Shizune behind him. Tsunade had a calm expression on her face. She smiled and looked at Shikamaru.

Shikamaru looked annoyed to be in Tsunade's office for the third time in a day. He didn't have to complain to Tsuande, she saw the look on his face but kept smiling. The silence continued for few more minutes. Tsunade started to break the silence.

"Na-" She was interrupted. "Oi, Godaime, get to the point already an-"

………..BONK!!

Tsunade lifted her fist from Shikamaru's head. "That'll teach you to interrupt! Ahem, Nara Shikamaru, for your excellent work on Itachi's death, I'm giving you the title of Konoha's C.S.I. Detective."

Shikamaru shifted his shoulders around. "I'm lazy, I watch clouds for fun, do you really think I'd be good for that job?"

Tsunade looked to him. She sighed. She looked at him with her brown. A look of disappointment. She turned to her window and looked all the way to the cemetery. She took a deep breath.

And she breathed out, "You'd do it for Asuma. Wouldn't you?"

Shikamaru opened his eyes as if he was shocked to hear Tsunade say that. He left the room. But before he exited out, he stopped and turned his head back.

"Detective huh? Doesn't fit me but I'll do it."

**The next day**

Shikamaru was asleep on his favorite cloud watching spot. Then all of a sudden a heavy stack of papers were dropped on top of his chest. He woke up and saw two people looking down to him. He didn't seem so happy to see them. He picked up the papers. Turned out it was a next mission he had to take up. Another crime scene and this time he had to take these two people with him in case of battle.

"How troublesome. I'm a detective for a day and i'm assigned to ckeck out a crime with a possibilty of a battle and to top it off i have to bring you two." Shikamaru sighed and looked at his two partners for this mission. "Then let's head out to the Hidden Mist. But i doubt he counts as a third teammate."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Gasp! A crime big enough in a different vilaage that Konoha's Detective Shikamaru has to check it out?! and who exactly does his team consist of?!**


	3. A New Person In Himself

**A New Person**

"You better take that back bout not having a third teammate."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "You see, that's what I'm talking about. Kiba has to be so sensitive about Akamaru."

Kiba glared at Shikamaru. "Oi, Shino, let's just get ready and leave before Detective-san gets any lazier." Kiba said with obvious sarcasism. And with that, they were off.

**The Next Morning**

"Neh, Neh!! Let's get this show on the road!" Kiba's excitement for the mission had been pissing Shikamaru and Shino off since yesterday.

"Do you ever shut the hell up teme?!" Shikamaru suddenly yelled. "Now could you wait quietly for Godaime to show up?!"

Kiba AND Shino jerked up. Shikamaru wasn't really the type to shout out loud. Kiba smirked and jumped on to Akamaru.

"Finally, you're starting to take leader roles." Shino nodded in agreement.

Tsunade spoke from behind them. "Good start for a Detective, eh Shikamaru?"

The three plus Akamaru turned back to Tsunade. She waved back with a hungover smile on her face. She tossed a scroll in there direction. Akamaru caught it in his mouth. Then his dropped it into Shikamaru's hands. Shikamaru then tucked the scroll into his vest.

"I'll read it on our way. We'll be on our way." The team took off. "Ja! See ya!"

**Several Hours Later**

"Shikamaru, we should camp out don't you think? It's after sunset, which is bad enough that you haven't noticed." Shino said as he stopped next to a river.

Shikamaru stopped and turned back to Shino. "You have a point. Might as well read the scroll while we're at it."

Kiba's eyes grew wide. Then he burst. "What the friggin hell?! I've been suggesting we rest even before sunset and then you finally took Shino's advice?!"

Shikamaru removed his pinky from his ear. "Ah, eh, how do I put it- I wanted to piss you off."

Kiba was then furious. He jumped off Akamaru's back and into the air. "Bastard!"

"Kiba!" Shino restrained him with insects. "It's best we just set up camp. I too am surprised at Shikamaru's actions but it's better than him being the lazy ass he is, or was"

"Damn, you're right but him acting like that was so sudden." Kiba calmed down then unpacked his tent.

After several minutes camp was set up. Three tents circling around a fire were set up while Kiba and Akamaru were chowing down on some food Shino cooked up. Shikamaru sat on a nearby log waiting for dinner to be over so he can read what's in the scroll Tsunade had given him in the morning. Shikamaru pulled the scroll from his vest letting it spin in the air twice before grabbing the end of the scroll letting it roll itself out.

Shikamaru started, "**Tuesday, May 15, 21:30. Five of Hidden Mist's jounin were assassinated by the infamous Akatsuki member, Hoshigaki Kisame. The reasons of the killings are not known. The five jounin's murders were listed an hour after eachother. The first murder happening at 17:30 and the last at 21:30. Each jounin was on border guard at different posts. We, Hidden Mist Anbu, request one of Konoha's finest to inspect this crime. The village cannot rest peacefully knowing the border is weaker and an Akatsuki member is nearby. As the Hidden Mist Anbu we also will do our part in securing the area**."

Kiba narrowed his eyebrows. "What the hell. If an Akatsuki member killed jounin, and Hidden Mist Anbu are on this case, meh, Konoha's really great now isn't it?" He smirked.

"This really is a big deal though. We might die." Shino said coolly. Shikamaru shifted his glance to Shino.

"Eh, Shino's right and if we die we aren't dying for any reason. We are Konoha shinobi. We fight to protect our village. If anyone is to die it's Hidden Mist shinobi. It is harsh but it's the truth." Shikamaru looked at the stars.

The conversation ended with that. The three went into their tents. They wouldn't reach the Hidden Mist Village for another day or two but already, they were beginning to wonder why Tsunade would let them risk their lives for another village. But it was a mission, and the Leaf shinobi will stick to what they do. That must be it.

Shikamaru was still awake turning around in his sleeping bag. "I'm taking my missions more seriously. I'm a detective now. I wonder, I wonder if that's enough. I know what I'm doing this for and who I am doing it for. Is it enough?"

Shikamaru got up and decided to walk by the river. He was a good two miles away from camp when he reached a part of the river that split into two streams. He stood there watching the calm river spilt into a lake on one side and rapids on the other. He wondered about himself.

"Am I like that river? I could have stayed a lazy ass guy, letting life pass me by as if I didn't care. But I chose to go a rough way, I have to put up with a lot of work, I work myself over, but why?" Shikamaru was starring into his reflection in the calm stream.

"It's because of you isn't Asuma-sensei? I'm making it up for the work I missed. You gave your life up, but for what? You left Kurenai-sensei with that kid of yours. But what?! Why would you do that!?" Shikamaru's eyes were clogged with tears.

"The future!? Is that how I should be?!" Shikamaru screamed up to the sky. He let the tears run down his face. Shikamaru turned around and looked at the rapids.

"I can barely see myself." Shikamaru looked deep into the water. His reflection was just blurry. He looked back up to the sky. There were more stars now. Shikamaru wiped his tears away and walked back to camp.

He rest his head down thinking about his past self. His eyes closed as he remembered one thing. He murmured "You better start taking your missions more seriously…….hmph" He fell asleep with a smirk on his face.

**The Next Morning**

Shikamaru awoke to Kiba screaming right up in his face about him starting to be a good leader then doesn't wake up on time. Shikamaru rubbed his eyes open and gave a stupid look at Kiba. Kiba then became madder with that look.

"What the hell is with that look?! Don't give me that! Why I outt-!" Kiba was interrupted for Shikamaru had his hand pushing Kiba's face aside.

"Fine, I'm up." Shikamaru spent quite some time get ready to move out. He was by the river while Kiba, Akamaru and Shino were waiting on the dirt trail.

"Oiiiiiiiii Shikamaru! Hurry up already!" Kiba yelled to the detective.

" I'll catch up. Just go on ahead." Shikamaru answered back and knelt by the river. "Shino should now the way."

"Be quick Shikamaru." Shino added before they were off.

"Mm." Shikamaru started writing a message on a small scroll. He finished a minute later. It read:

_Oi, it's me, Shikamaru. I'm starting to take missions more seriously and now I'm a Detective for the Konoha Crime Scene Investigation. That was good advice. I thank you. Hope to see you at the Chunin Exams. Oh, and Temari, say hi to Gaara and Kankurou for me._

_-Shikamaru_

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**just in case you didnt get the last part, Temari is who he's changing for. XD a little romance. thanks to**

g. hingis x

lindabee

sad little monkey

for support!


	4. FoxFaced Michi

**Fox-Faced Michi**

Shikamaru got up from writing his letter. He had a slight smile across his face.

"I guess I'll get this sent at the next post." Shikamaru started traveling through the tree braches trying to catch up with Kiba, Akamaru and Shino.

He caught up when he found the trio standing in the middle of the path. He jumped down to the path.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Shikamaru turned to what they were staring at. "What the hell…"

There was a huge man blocking their way and to top it off he had a small girl as a hostage with a kunai to her throat. Shikamaru looked annoyed.

"Oi, tough guy, if you want to kill someone why not one of us?" Shikamaru said, pulling out a kunai.

Shino turned to Shikamaru. "We've tried that a while ago. This guy just won't budge."

Kiba added more. "That girl is fake anyway. She's had that stupid smirk on her face since we found these two."

Shikamaru thought for a while. Yet, nothing came to mind. He looked back to the guy. He was trembling and his face made him look like a mad man. Shikamaru thought he was a sad excuse to having a hostage. Yet that little girl was very mysterious. She was held up, feet dangling in the air, with the man's huge arm holding her up from her chest and a kunai at the top of her throat. Shikamaru decided to take notes of those two.

_Short, probably 4 feet and a half girl. Straight black hair, a bunch of hair covering part of her right eye. Wearing a light purple kimono and kimono shoes._

Shikamaru was about to take down notes of the man until he heard a muffled growl. Kiba couldn't take it anymore.

"Akamaru! Dynamic marking! I don't care who you get but just go!" Akamaru obeyed.

Direct hit….. The man yelled in pain as the saltiness burned his eyes. He let the girl go and ran off. Shino and Shikamaru watched as Kiba danced around Akamaru, surprised at his actions. It got the job done but it was so unexpected.

"Neh, Neh little girl, you alright?" Kiba said as he bent down to the small girl. She smiled to him.

"You almost got me there didn't ya, kiddo? I was wondering when you would do something." She looked back to the man running off. The small, fragile looking girl picked the dropped kunai from the ground and threw it to the man's direction.

"Gah!" the man fell to the ground, dead. A bulls-eye to the head.

"Kiddo?!" Kiba looked at the girl in confusion. Shikamaru and Shino, still having done absolutely nothing yet watched with awe and in silence.

"Ah, I'm still in this form. Yareh, yareh how embarrassing." The girl formed a release sign. Poof. Out of the smoke that the release made came something shocking.

An older version of the girl came from the smoke. She still had long black hair covering some of her face but she had a tighter fitting purple kimono that was cut off at her knees.

"Ohhhhhhaaayoo! I'm Tahara Michi! One of Hidden Mist's undercover assassins!" Michi said in a hyper tone.

All three of the Leaf shinobi all took a step back. Michi gave a pouty look.

"Awwwww, here's my proof!" She pulled out an identification card from under her white obi. (that sash that hold up the kimono.)

Shino broke the tension. "We were sent from Konoha to investigate the killings of Hoshigake Kisame. To be precise, this guy over next to me, Nara Shikamaru is the Detective here. Inuzuka Kiba, his dog, Akamaru, and I, Aburame Shino are like body guards though Shikamaru can defend himself."

Shikamaru added on, "That's probably as many words Shino will say at a time but everything is true. Here's my scroll that was given to me before we left."

He tossed the scroll to Michi. She caught it as an instant reaction. She smirked, "You should properly hand it to me next time." She opened the scroll and rolled it back up almost immediately.

"You've made it here quicker than planned." She paused. "But then again I am a day's travel from the village."

So Team Detective traveled with the fox-grinning Michi. Along the way several questions were brought up to Michi from Shikamaru. He'd want to know some information about her.

So for an hour questions were given and answered were delivered.

"So what were you doing in the form of a child?"

"To lure out that man, I decided to change myself back into a child. You can say I am fond of my childhood."

"So how does that lure out that man?"

"He's a criminal for having crazy intents of murdering children. He's strong but I could match his strength when I was half my age."

"So exactly how old are you?"

"I turned twenty-eight three weeks ago."

And the conversation went on. Until they set up camp along the river again.

Shikamaru, who had a good notebook filled with the "conversation" that he had with Michi, decided to sleep early. Which left Kiba, Shino, and Akamaru with the somewhat scary Michi.

Shino looked around at camp. There were three tents. "Michi-san, don't you have a tent?"

Michi looked up from her plate. She had pieces of meat and herbs around her mouth. "Ah, don't worry bout that. I set up my sleeping bag on that big branch in the tree behind me. Say, that Shikamaru person, he talks a lot it was scary me."

Kiba laughed. "He used to be the laziest person I knew. He'd always try to avoid conversations like that." He petted Akamaru. "To be honest, I like this Shikamaru better."

Michi looked at the moon. It was heading more west now. "You three should get your rest, it's gonna be a whole 'nother day before we reach the village. We can't rush through the forest as much."

Shino and Kiba nodded to her and went to their tents. Michi put the fire out and jumped up to the branch. She rest her head on the small she had and pulled a picture out from her obi. She sighed.

"Makato-kun. I hope you'll recover soon. I'm sure Daiki-neesan wouldn't want me to lose another person I love." She trailed off as she slowly fell asleep. Her arm drooped over the side of the branch and the picture slipped out of her fingers.

"Damn…." She tried grabbing it but sleepiness took over. A picture of a man in a jounin outfit flew with the wind.

**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**short chapeter. trying to keep the oringinality as best as i can. and being foxed face is like when her eyes are like frowns looking like shes really happy or up to something. but i hope this chapter is good enough to hold off for a few days.**


	5. Ambitions

**Ambitions**

"Michi-sannnnnnn! Let's get going!" Kiba yelled to Michi who was still asleep up on the tree branch.

"Wha? Who da heelll…." Michi rose up and kicked her sleeping bag and pillow of the branch. Her eyes were shut tight for she was absolutely not a morning person. The pillow smacked Shino in the head and the sleeping bag draped over Akamaru.

"Michi-san, just get down." Shino demanded as he pulled his hood back up.

Michi rubbed her eyes and took one step forward. She was still dreaming at the time and completely ignored everything. So she was falling through the air since the branch was pretty high up in a tree, while on the ground, all three…..well, just Kiba and Shikamaru were watching in terror as Michi was falling through the air.

"Shiiiiiiiittt!" Kiba gasped out.

Then Shino looked up above him and slowly held out his arms. By the time he got his arms fully extended, Michi, who still had her eyes closed, dropped into his arms.

"Oi. Michi-san. Wake up, your heavy." Shino having been annoyed that the team has been delayed simply dropped her to the ground. She woke up instantly. She looked around.

"How 'bout we just get to the road and forget what just happened eh?" She grinned slighty. The three Leaf ninja sighed.

When they finally reached the village.

Michi took the team to an abandoned shack when they first arrived.

"Why do we have to check in here?" Shikamaru asked.

"Shh, we're trying to not be seen. We can't have any snoops around." Michi pulled out a key from her obi and opened the door.

Akamaru whined to Kiba, "she has everything in that obi." Kiba chuckled but shushed him.

As they walked in, men wearing black clothing walked out of the dark corner of the room.

"Welcome back Tahara-san." A middle-aged man said. Michi nodded her head and moved to the side so all the men could she the trio and dog.

"You guys, please wait here while I talk to these men." Michi whispered as she followed the men into another room.

Shikamaru turned to Kiba and Shino. "I can't believe that these Hidden Mist are overreacting to danger."

Kiba whispered in return. "I can't believe that the Mist shinobi could be so weak. I bet even Hinata would be top class."

Shino sent in one of his bugs into the room with them. "I don't want to take chances with Michi-san. Though she's an oddball, we can't be too trustful of her."

Shikamaru looked out of a tattered curtain. They were far from the border so he couldn't study any crime scene without getting away. But as he was about to pull his head back inside, he spotted a huge blood smear mark on the ground several yards away.

"Kiba, can you get Akamaru to try to smell that blood over there?" Shikamaru quietly said. Kiba looked out the window too.

"Akamaru, over there" he pointed for Akamaru and the huge dog sniffed. Akamaru cocked his head to the side and grunted to Kiba.

"Akamaru says it doesn't smell like anyone we know, but he says he's smelled it slightly before."

Shikamaru was about to say something until Michi came back into the room. She stopped right in front of Shino and let go of a bug she had trapped in her hand. The little bug flew straight back to Shino terrified. Michi grinned.

"If you wanted to know what I was talking about, you should have waited for later and asked me." She walked out of the door. "What are you waiting for? C'mon." She started running making it harder for them to catch up since it was past sunset already.

After several minutes of running full speed, Michi suddenly stopped at an old inn.

"I can't let you guys stay where there are too many people. I don't want people to be alarmed. And besides-" she started a childish tone. "if I have to hide myself because I'm a fully fledged assassin doesn't mean Konoha ninja can just stroll around."

She led them to a specific room without any windows and told them to meet her back at the warehouse at the crack of dawn. Then she ran off.

"Something tells me she's in a hurry." Shikamaru whispered under his breath.

They were still catching their breath even after they had stopped running.

"Why don't you guys catch some dreams? I have Detective business to do." Shikamaru rushed out the door before Shino or Kiba could say anything back.

As Shikamaru raced out of the inn he spotted Michi probably 50 yards ahead.

"Damn, she's a friggin fast runner. What could she possibly before running to?"

Then Shikamaru starting jumping from roof to roof as silently as he could trying to keep up with Michi. She kept running for another mile until she reached a small house. Shikamaru skidded across a roof from stopping so suddenly. Then Michi quickly slid open the door.

"How's he doing, baa-sama?! How's Makato-kun?!" Then Michi hurried inside. Shikamaru propped down to a window that was cracked enough so he could look inside.

He peeked in and saw Michi standing over a bed that had a man so bandaged up, the only part visible were his eyes and mouth. Then he looked over to Michi. His eyes were stuck on her. For the first time, he saw a little of Michi's eyes were relaxed and cracked ever so slightly.

"Michi-chan, don't worry so much about me. I'll be fine." Makato husked out. The old nurse turned to Makato.

"Hush now, you need your rest." Then Michi had a few small tears rolling down her face.

"I should have never left you at that post. You could've ended up like those other Jounin" then she paused. "Or like Daiki-neesan!" She stared crying like crazy then bent over Makato and embraced him close to her.

The nurse separated them. "Please, Michi. He's still in a critical condition, but he's recovering slowly." Then Makato coughed out a widespread of blood across the room.

Blood splattered on Shimaru's sleeve. He stepped back trying to wipe the blood off, but instead smeared it more.

Michi let go of Makato and looked at the cracked window. "Shikamaru, how long are you gonna be following me?"

Shikamaru stepped back again and answered back, "I think that's enough for me. I'll see you in the morning."

When Shikamaru entered the room, Kiba and Shino were still awake waiting for his return.

"Where the hell have you been Shikamaru?" Kiba angrily said. Shikamaru sighed and explained the whole Michi/Makato business.

Shino dug through his backpack and took out a picture. "I found this in a nearby bush on our first night with Michi-san. It has her scent on it too. I was going to give it back unless you would think it's evidence."

Shikamaru looked at the picture. It was no help, the man in the photo had his eyes opened and Makato's eyes were shut. "It's not evidence. Not yet." Then he felt Akamaru tugging at his sleeve with the smeared blood.

Kiba looked over to Akamaru. "Hm? Akamaru says that blood smells exactly like the blood from that smear you saw from that old warehouse."

Shikamaru thought for a minute. "Michi said he was at one of the posts. And when I think about this Daiki person, he is probably one of the jounin that were killed. But the scroll Tsunade-sama gave me didn't say anything about wounded people."

Shikamaru smacked his hand against his head. "Damn, this is confusing."

Shino put his hand on Shikamaru's shoulder. Shikamaru jolted and turned to the Aburame heir. Shino then looked at Shikamaru.

"Don't worry, you'll be able to figure this out." Shikamaru gave a small smile.

"Thanks."

**The Next Morning**

Michi was sitting silently on the warehouse roof waiting for them to arrive. She was thinking back to last night after Shikamaru ran off.

_The old nurse quickly wiped up the blood that was dripping from Makato. Michi sat on a chair beside the bed and started stroking Makato's dark purplish-blackish hair._

_"Michi, I don't know how to say this but Makato has a strange infection in his system. It disables him from healing properly. I can heal it easily so he doesn't feel as much pain." The nurse had her head down._

_"Is there anything that I can help with?" Michi asked as she was putting Makato to sleep._

_The old lady thought for a while and brought out an old tattered book from one of the shelves. She flipped to one page and sighed in relief._

_"Yea, there is. It's an antidote for disrupted systems. But, the ingredients are very rare in the Hidden Mist these days. But I'll tell you anyway. Hm, you need only three herbs."_

_"Please, I need to save him."_

_"Very well then, you'll need purple coneflower, black sage, and yerba santa." The nurse gave her sketches of the herbs._

_"Thank you baa-sama. Please take care of him until I return." She gave Makato a kiss on the forehead and ran off._

Michi looked down to the walkway, Shikamaru, Kiba, and shino arrived. Her calm eyes then shifted back upwards to form her fox-face.

"You guys are late." Michi jumped down in front of them.

"Sunrise is way too early." Shikamaru scratched the back of his head.

"It'd be better if we don't explain how we got Shikamaru up." Shino added for Shikamaru.

Michi chuckled. "Well, then, Detective Nara, shall we go to the crime scenes?"

When they arrived on the first crime scene, everyone was in shock. Almost everything was covered in blood.

Kiba stumbled back. "This is all from one person?!"

Michi's smile faded away yet kept her fox eyes. "Yea….just one person."

Shikamaru scanned the area. There were no useful evidence around. Only splattered blood everywhere. Nothing special.

"So, who was this jounin? The most I can get is his name." Shikamaru turned over to Michi.

Michi looked to the ground. "This jounin's name is Tahara Daiki. The Hidden Mist elders were considering him for Anbu. But he was killed off first."

Shikamaru dropped his pen. "Yo-your older brother?"

Michi looked up and her face was bright again. "Neh! Check out the other four sights before you start to ask unimportant questions Detective Nara!"

Shikamaru picked up his pen. "You can really be an annoying bitch, Michi." He looked up to give her a look but when he looked she was already behind him. "What the hell?"

Michi's eyebrows were furrowed. "Bitch huh?" She slapped him upside the back of his head.

Shikamaru straightened his back up. Michi laughed out, "You've got guts kid!"

"I'll tell you something else before I have to go on a mission. You'll be able to find the other guard post easily. The next four are all in order, exactly 5 miles apart. Not even the fog could mess up the direction. Hidden Mist Detectives will not bother you I can say that. But there will be a Detective at each guard post waiting. Hoshigake Kisame is around the area." Then with a blink of an eye, Michi was gone.

"Dammit! I just had to be stuck with a shitty mission like this." Shikamaru then signaled to Kiba and Shino to go ahead of him.

"I'll have to look into this then."

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**since september is coming soon, i'm going to try to finish this story as fast as i can. when school starts i'll have less time for updating and such and such. BUT! any suspicions so far??? XD **


	6. What's The Deal?

Shikamaru took a blood sample from the first post.

"I don't know about this Daiki person but if Michi really cared about him, I'd think she'd be more caring about his death." Shikmaru dwelled on that thought for a second.

"Well, that Makato sure seems important. I should check the next four posts quickly. There are more questions I need to ask." Shikamaru ran up exactly 5 miles. And met up with another Hidden Mist detective.

He stared at Shikamaru. "Detective Nara huh?" Shikamaru brought out his notebook.

"Yea. If you don't mind, try not to be a trouble to me."

Then he turned over to the blood scene and found the same things, just blood. He was about to run to the next post when he saw one small thing that caught his eye, a black cloth stuck to the ground with the dried up blood all around it.

"I should take this. It seems like it's some special type." He tore out the cloth. Then he looked back to the man in the shade of a tree.

"Why didn't to look around here to find any small evidence?" He narrowed his eyes.

The man answered calmly, "I'm not touching anything. This mission was assigned to the snobby Leaf ninja. I would have gone ahead and checked the area."

Shikamaru shifted himself to face the man. In a second he had grabbed the man by the front of his shirt and had him up off the ground.

"And who do you think you are……….bastard?" Shikamaru held the man up higher.

He stared down at Shikamaru with his cold black eyes.

"I believe I'm Detective Iwao. Head Detective having to lie low for another detective and it's a Leaf ninja, it's un-acceptable to me." Shikamaru dropped him to the ground.

"Iwao huh? It suits you, stone man. Do you even move?" Shikamaru started running to the next post.

Iwao narrowed his eyes. "You are missing too many things on this case, Detective Nara."

Shikamaru hurried over to the next post. It was the same as the others, only blood. This time there was several strands of hair. He looked over to the detective at this post. It was a rather short girl who looked completely harmless.

"Neh, shorty-chan." Shikamaru called over to her. She jerked up almost immediately with tinted cheeks.

"Ahhhhhhh! Sorry, sorry, I'll pay more attention next time Iwao-san!" She looked over to Shikamaru who was giving her a confused look.

"Oh, Detective Nara, sorry. It's just a habit of mine. Um, I think your comrades passed by here bout 15 minutes ago." She apologized several more times.

Shikamaru finished plugging up the glass tube with the hair inside. He gave her a small smile.

"So your one of Iwao-teme's subordinates? I can see why someone like him could scare a little girl like you. Hm…..can I just call you Shorty-chan?" Shikamaru gave a small chuckle to stop her from her obvious trembling.

"…………………..Ah!!! I was out in space again!! Yea, yea! Shorty-chan is alright! Well, Iwao-san is stiff a lot of the time, but at one point he was the nicest person I knew."

Shorty started drifting off to space thinking about Iwao. She woke up from Shikamaru shaking her around.

"Well, nice meeting you Shorty-chan. I should be going off." Shikamaru hurried away.

Shikamaru was running next to the water thinking about how odd that girl was. He remembered on thing and stopped so suddenly he was making dust come out of the dirt. He slapped his forehead.

"Aw, dammit! I should have asked Shorty-chan her name! Stupid me!" He sighed after his forehead was bulging out.

"I should ask her later." Shikamaru ran over to the fourth post but stopped right in his tracks.

There was fresh blood spread everywhere. He was practically walking puddles of blood. He had his eyes wide open with the bloody pieces of flesh all over the place. He spotted the detective that was assigned to the post.

"Oi, oi! Old man! What went on around here!?" The blood soaked man had his entrails hanging out of him. It was obvious he was going to die but Shikamaru needed answers.

He coughed out, "It's horrible…….I didn't see……. who injured me but ……………those two Leaf ninja…… and that dog………went after that person………they yelled out that bitch's…………name……."

Shikamaru had sweat dripping down his forehead, "What's the name!!! For the sake of your village! What's the name!?"

The old man rested his head to the blood stained ground, "The…….na…..me…i…….s……..i.s……" Then the man closed his eyes and died in his blood.

"Dammit! I need to get to the next post. The blood trail over there. Shit. Either the guys or Akamaru is hurt, or that murderer, trying to cover up the evidence. Dammit!!!!"

Shikamaru started running at full speed towards the last post. He couldn't think of anyone he met so far who would want to cover up. He re-thought everyone he met from yesterday and today.

_Tahara Michi; That fox-face of hers is really suspicious, but her brother was killed so why would she help the enemy in this case?_

_Makato; He must have been part of the post attacks, he seems very close to Michi though, he is in critical condition._

_That Nurse; She's only taking care of Makato_

_Iwao; I'm very cautious about him. He doesn't seem to like Leaf ninja. He just so happens to be the top detective of the Hidden Mist. He doesn't seem to move at all, not even when I held him up. He used to be nice at one point in time._

_Shorty-chan; I should've gotten her name. She's very timid and a little short. She seems to be a bit scared of Iwao yet has known him for a while._

Shikamaru shook his head. His goal right now was to get to the last post.

"Damn, I shouldn't have let them go off ahead." Shikamaru jumped over a stream and landed right in front of the last post.

He saw Akamaru tossed over to the side, unconscious. Kiba and Shino were covered in cuts and bruises. He jumped in front of them with wide eyes.

"Damn guys! What happened?!" Shikamaru yelled to them.

Kiba cursed then answered Shikamaru. "This bastard is covering up your evidence! And I wont forgive him for knocking out Akamaru like that!"

Shikamaru turned around to be face up with the culprit. "Wh-who are y-you?"

The culprit was fully covered with white cloth. Not showing any part of the body, except for glaring red eyes, full of confusion and the intent of killing.

The culprit smacked Shikamaru and Shino to the side and sent them into the water. Kiba went to slash the white clothe murderer but before he could reach the white clothe, it was already behind him.

"Shit, too fast." He turned around to try to slash again but was sent up into the air with a newly formed cut on his chest. Kiba then landed smack face on the air next to the water.

Then bugs shooted out of the water and headed towards the culprit. Whoever it was took one step in front of the bugs and disappeared. Then the bugs dropped dead and the culprit was only a step away from all the three guys. Shikamaru just then had half their bodies out.

In a flash, there was a kunai in his/her hand and there were several more cuts on all their bodies. Then all of a sudden he/she dropped the kunai and the glaring red eyes started fading away into black shining eyes that looked like crystal. The culprit bent down clutching his/her head with the eyes flashing red to black and black to red. Then the culprit ran off fast.

Shikamaru and Shino climbed all the way out of the water.

"Damn, who was that?" Shikamaru huffed out, rubbing his side.

"Well, whoever it was something must be wrong. Did you see those eyes?" Shino asked.

"It's suspicious alright. But Shikamaru, you should ask the people who know about this whole ordeal. Like those men in black clothing." Kiba muttered out.

Shikamaru reached in his vest pocket and pulled out his evidence quickly. _Black clothe!_

When they reached the warehouse, the place was in flames. Men in black clothing were running out, some were even on fire.

The three guys ran into the building trying to save the men. Shikamaru was suspicious of them but they couldn't let them die like that. Shino grabbed two men with his arms and had his bugs carry more men. Kiba stacked men on top of Akamaru patting the fires off the flaming men.

"Quick Shikamaru! Let's get out the place is gonna collapse!" Kiba yelled over to Shikamaru.

"Yea I'll be there! I need to check this back room!" Shikamaru kicked down the door to the back room and found Michi unconscious under a big plank of wood.

"Michi!" Shikamaru lifted the plank off and threw it to the wall knocking it down and providing a way to escape the burning room.

He lifted her up and carried her in his arms. He jumped out of the building just in time when the building collapsed all together. He coughed and when he looked up his gasped and took a step back. Iwao was right in front of him. Michi rose her head to Iwao's direction.

"Iwao-neesan." She whispered out. Shikamaru jolted.

"You have another brother?" Michi nodded.

"Ha-hai" she looked to Shikamaru with her eyes half open. He almost dropped her with surprise. She had black crystal eyes!

"Detective Nara, I'll take her to the hospital." Iwao stood there without moving even the slightest bit.

"But, she's burnt a bit and she seems to have suffered a bit of pressure to her head."

"Don't question my order. Your mission is to find who did the crime of murdering the guards. Michi isn't one of your top priorities." Iwao's shoulder length, black hair didn't even move with the breeze.

"Bu-" Shikamaru's arms were freed from its heavy load. He looked down then up again.

"She's my sister and I have to take care of her with our older brother dead. I'll see you later, Detective Nara." Shikamaru turned around to face the building again.

He turned back to ask Iwao one question. "Det-" Iwao and Michi were already gone.

**Back at the inn**

Shikamaru was laying in bed while Kiba and Shino were bandaging some of their minor cuts.

"There are so many things running through that is so suspicious."

He looked over to Kiba and Shino. They were only serving as body guards.

"I don't think you guys will be needed tomorrow." Shikamaru said to them.

"But…." Kiba was stopped when Shino nodded to him.

"I have many questions that need answers."

**The next morning**

Shikamaru headed out at the crack of dawn. He saw Michi whose entire forehead was covered in bandages.

"What and who are you Michi? It was you who tried covering up the evidence, a job that could easily be done like an assassin like you, moving at great speeds." Michi looked up sadily.

Shikamaru flipped out a kunai. Michi didn't flinch but she was right behind Shikamaru before he could lift it up. She took the kunai and threw it to the side.

"If you need answers. Just follow me tonight, please. I am sure you'll need everything from what you'll see tonight."

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**is the case getting complicated for our Detective Shikamaru?! what's the deal with Michi and the black clothing men? why is iwao so stiff and does shorty-chan have any secrets herself?! **

**you'll just have to wait. **


	7. Deep Information

Shikamaru turned around to face Michi. "You've lost a lot of my trust Michi."

Michi looked down to Shikamaru and put on her fox-face once more. "And what could I possibly gain from that?"

She tapped him on the forehead with one of her fingers. "I want to help, that's why I ask you to follow me tonight."

Shikamaru pulled out another kunai and tried jabbing it into Michi but she already disappeared.

Shikamaru decided to lurk the shadows and try to find any familiar people. "I should try to find shorty-chan or maybe try to question Makato."

Shikamaru couldn't afford to let anyone see him so he sent his shadow around the corners. Staying at one place safely he searched all the buildings in the abandoned district of the Hidden Mist village. His shadow stopped at a some-what tidier looking shed.

"Looks safe now." Shikamaru came out of the shadows and followed his own, trailing it to that small shed.

He stood in front of the tiny shed. He slid it right open and immediately clasped his eyes for a shriek came out when he slid it open.

"Oi! Shush!" Shikamaru, not caring who it was covered up the shrieking mouth.

The person hit Shikamaru in the head. He layed on the ground with stars floating around his head. When he opened his eyes again he saw shorty-chan timidly brushing the dust off his vest. Then she saw him conscious again.

"Sorry Detective Nara! I was so startled I thought it was…..um………….I'm Sorry!!!!"

Shikamaru sat up straight on a wooden stool. "Anyway, what're you doing in a small shed like this? It even seems small for you, despite being short."

Shorty sat herself on a rickety hammock that was nailed to the walls. "Um, well, 'bout probably twenty-four years ago, people used to live here. But it was more of place where boats would come and go with goods and necessities."

Shikamaru shifted his shoulders around uncomfortably. If Shorty was around here twenty-four years ago, she was a lot older than Shikamaru, despite her height.

"No wonder it's next to the water but why does it extend even deep into the village?"

"Just so the items are carefully taken. I ran away from home when I was young because mom and dad were always fighting and when they weren't they were out. They never had time for me." A cold breeze came through the small window.

"I decided to run away to this depot living in secret in a warehouse that wasn't used often. But one day I was walking by the depot one night and fell into the water, at that time I wasn't a very good swimmer, and I thought I would die that night, but luckily I was saved by Iwao-san."

Shikamaru held up a hand, "Before you continue, I'd like to ask you something. What's your name?"

"It's…………." she blushed. "My name is Yoko. It's actually a nickname Iwao-san gave me 'cuz he thought it would be good luck. My parent's never did give me a real name." Yoko puffed up her cheeks and made a weird scolding like face.

"It was always, gaki! Wash this! Gaki! Be useful! Gaki! Gaki! Gaki! But when I met Iwao-san, he was so nice. He even built this little shed for me to live in when he wasn't here." Yoko rested her whole body on the hammock.

Shikamaru was scribbling in his notebook as she went along with her story. "So he was like family to you?"

Yoko rocked slowly on the hammock. "Yup, that's right. He too didn't have parents except he had his older brother, Daiki and his little baby sister, Michi. They all were nice to me, except Michi was only a baby, she wasn't able to know me well since Iwao became cold before Michi she could remember anything."

Shikamaru's notebook was running short of pages with all this information. "So in short, Michi never knew the nice Iwao?"

Yoko continued rocking in the hammock making a creaking sound. "Daiki-san was very fatherly, I couldn't believe he was Iwao's brother. But the thing about him was that he wasn't as strong as others. It's sad, but that's probably why he died the other night."

Shikamaru stood up. "Thanks for all that information, Yoko."

Yoko sat up on her hammock. "What happened to –chan?" Her eyes were open with curiosity?

Shikamaru scratched the back of his head. "It turns out, you might just be older than me, Yoko. But I have just two more questions. What do you know about Michi. And who exactly is Makato?"

Yoko leaned back. "Michi is a cheerful girl. She always seems to be up to something with that fox face of hers. I don't know her as well as Iwao since she's always busy with her assassin job. As for Makato, those two are dating I guess, he was on guard duty that night. He was at the first post with Daiki-san. He's stronger than Michi, but still can't match up with Iwao-san. That Makato is a really nice guy."

Shikamaru exited through the small door and went to question Makato. Shikamaru couldn't believe how much information he had gotten out of Yoko. Now he wondered how much he could get out of Makato, that is if he was in a stable condition to talk.

He found he little building that Makato and that nurse were at. He opened the door slowly and saw the old women propped on a stool. Makato had his bandages off but looked awfully sickly.

"Detective Nara!" The old women walked up to him and let him inside. She trusted that he would do no harm and let him sit by Makato's bedside.

Makato looked over at Shikamaru. "What is it, Detective?" He had countless bags under he eyes.

"I need to ask you questions about yourself, and mainly, Michi" Makato's eyes widened.

"What happened? Is she alright?!" Makato started coughing, when he calmed down, Shikamaru began asking all the questions at once.

"How did you manage to survive the assassination? What's the relation between you and Michi? Is anything about her suspicious? Has anything happened to her recently?" Makato closed is strained eyes.

"I survived the assassination using my strongest family technique, Niusagino Ho. (Fire of the two rabbits) The fire was able to get most of the enemies. But one knocked me out. The next thing I knew, I was in this bed bleeding and staining the sheets. Nurse baa-sama was healing many of my external wounds, as always, Michi was by my side." Makato took several deep breaths.

"I met Michi when we were little kids in the academy. She was a jokester at the appropriate. That's when she developed that fox-face of hers. Whenever she was up to something, she would have that fox-grinning smile and those slit eyes. But over the years, she couldn't seem to get that expression off her face. It was hard to tell from then on." He chuckled but ended up coughing out some blood.

Shikamaru took a piece of clothe from a nearby basket and laid it on top of Makato's mouth to prevent the blood from staining the room. Makato muffled out a thank you from under it.

"Over the years us two became really close. When I was well, and we weren't on any mission, it'd be rare to not see us together. It's a secret but Michi and I are engaged. We plan to tell everyone later on this month, that is if I can make it. But, recently, Michi has been associated with trying to take down Hidden Mist's biggest gang. We can't take them down easily because they say that they have a hostage taken. Michi has been very depressed about that."

Shikamaru turned to the next page. "And what would the gang's name be?"

"_Kuroy Irui_. They are at least 20 twenty strong." Makato's eyes closed and he started breathing deeply.

Shikamaru almost dropped his notebook. "_Black Clothing_?!" He said it almost loud enough for Makato to wake up.

The nurse's droopy eyes met with Shikamaru's. "Michi is currently looking for the herbs for an antidote for Makato. It's his only hope. Please, see if you can help."

She handed Shikamaru the herb list. He carefully tried not to rip the paper while he read it. He looked sadly up.

"I'm sorry. But as of last year, those herbs have all been extinct." The nurse's eyes became blank.

"That'll break Michi's heart." Shikamaru stood up.

"I'll send one of my guys to you. He's a herb specialist, but he may be able to heal Makato from the inside." The nurse's face lit up a bit.

"And who will that be when I ask for his name?"

"Aburame Shino, ma'am." Then Shikamaru went off to follow Michi. It was almost sundown since he had to meet up with Kiba and Shino to have a plan and several other back-up plans.

He found Michi, slowly, and almost sadly walking to another abandoned warehouse. She looked back and found Shikamaru spying from the roof.

She smiled very thinly. Her fox eyes had eye bags underneath them. She then walked into the warehouse. He jumped down and propped down by the window.

A man who was sitting on a chair seemed to be in charge since that was the only one in the whole warehouse. Shikamaru jumped to the roof and looked through a hole, using his own shadow to cover himself.

"Tahara Michi, you've been an excellent hostage." The dark figure laughed deeply.

Michi went towards him at full speed but was brought back by now-visible thick chakra strings held by two other dark figures.

"Don't you try to do that, Assassin-chan" one figure said as he approached Michi who was unable to move since she had chakra strings attached to all of her limbs and neck.

"Get away teme!" she tried punching him but utterly failed. He made several hand signs.

"Henzutsu Keyaku"(migraine contract) she whispered into her ear. Her eyes went red and flashed back to black and red again.

She became hysterical and went screaming silent screams; she tried clasping her head but all the men in the room were all kneeling in a circle around her. They were all the performing the hand signs constantly forming a headband around Michi's forhead that was glowing blood red.

The head boss was grinning. "So you have to be in confusion again, this time you'll have to kill that damn Makato this time."

Shikamaru watched in horror as Michi was being tortured. Her long hair became frazzled and her purple kimono was being torn at the sleeves and bottom. He dared not to take out his notebook, afraid to miss something important. But he whispered into his tiny microphone.

"Kiba, is Shino taking care of Makato?"

A muffle came back. "_Yea, time to put the plan into action_?"

"No, remember your plan? The crazy one Shino and I thought was against odds?"

"_The one I just made as a joke_?"

"Yea, tell Shino that'll be our plan."

"_I don't know what your planning Shikamaru, but I trust you_."

Michi's silent screams ended. Shikamaru watched as the figure that performed the Henzutsu Keyaku put his arms around Michi's waist. He whispered into her ear.

"You'll be all mine once that Makato is taken out by your own hands. I'm sure having to use Niusagino Ho and fighting off some of our men has put him in a critical condition." The dark bastard brushed the back of his palm against Michi's cheek brushing off some hair to the side then threw her to the ground.

Michi's face was blank with trauma.

The man walked back to fill in a gap in the circle. "Boss, now the second stage of the jutsu."

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**so anyone surprised at the sudden turn around in the story??? XD what will happen to Michi? will see kill her own love under this Henzutsu Keyaku? could shino possibly help Makato? Will Makato even make it? Will Iwao see to this? And there's something about Yoko that'll be a shock to everyone!**

**Everything will be revealed in the next and LAST chapter!**


	8. Case Closed

**This is the last chapter! To bring the tension up, someone is going to die...**

----------------------------------------**---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Michi was screaming loudly this time. All the men were forcing their plans into her mind.

"I could never kill Makato-kun!" Her eyes were blazing with pain. She screamed out, cursing the Boss. He narrowed his eyes.

"Screw you Michi. I want Iwao dead as well! He'll pay for letting that bitch-of-a-wife die in peace. Ruining my plans for the future! The Tahara must suffer for it!" He ordered his men to force more orders into her mind.

Michi's eyes were red again and this time they stayed red and her screaming ceased. "Hai, Boss." She didn't bother wrapping herself in white cloth but stood there waiting for the order to start.

The boss jerked his arm forward. Michi was gone in a flash. Shikamaru shifted up and was about to contact Kiba until Michi was back again with a rather large bag over her shoulders. Boss smirked and lowered his arm. Michi untied the bag and took out a tied up Yoko.

"Michi! What's going on with you?" Yoko stopped and looked up with wide eyes. Boss smiled.

"Long time no see, gaki. Looks like you're a ninja now, but a detective." His smiled faded to a scornful frown.

"As a detective working on this case with Konoha's head detective, I can't let you take your business like this, teme." Yoko snapped the ropes on her arms and legs.

Boss looked down at her. "You can't even say a loving hello to your father?"

Yoko jumped into the air. "I could say the same thing teme."

Shikamaru jumped into the air. "Kiba! Shino! It's time! Hurry!"

Shikamaru looked down at the building, as he came down he yelled out, "Kagemane no jutsu!"

When he crashed through the roof and landed in the middle of everything, Yoko landed on top of his shoulders. She had taken two katana's out of the belt of her black dress.

"Nice to be working with you, Yoko." Shikamaru's shadow spilt up stunning all the Kuroy members and Michi.

Yoko jumped off of Shikamaru's shoulders and her fierceness with the katana's looked awkward with her short height and long brunette pigtails. She slashed through half the members when Kiba and Shino crashed through the dusty windows.

"Showtime Akamaru!" Kiba rode proudly atop of his dog and Shino held his arms up with bugs swarming all over them.

Shikamaru started sweating with struggling to keep the jutsu up longer than five minutes. Yoko jumped up to the ceiling and stayed there upside down letting way for Kiba and Shino. Shikamaru was at his limit and let the jutsu drop. All the Kuroy members except for Boss were slaughtered.

"I guess things will have to get serious." The boss rose up from the chair and showed that he huge. He took out a hilt from his pocket.

"Now I'll show you the true boss around here!" He swung the hilt down to Shikamaru and a sword of chakra formed.

Shikamaru stumbled up and looked with open eyes. There wasn't possible to dodge the chakra sword fast enough. The sword was inches away and he shut his eyes.

"Shikamaru!" Kiba and Shino stood there frozen. The sword landed and created a huge explosion and dust flew everywhere making a cloud around them.

When the dust settled down, Shikamaru opened his eyes and stumbled backwards, falling.

"I-Iwao-san!" Iwao stood in front of Shikamaru and he stood there, his forehead directly in front of the sword, his cold eyes staring at the boss with a terrifying glare.

"Your wife's final regards to you are to go to hell, Osamu.' Iwao disappeared and appeared behind Osamu and kicked him on the back hurling him towards Kiba and Shino.

"Kiba!" Shino took advantage of Osamu. Shino sent out a swarm of bugs and infiltrated Osamu's body with them. Kiba took that as an opening when Osamu sliced through the rest of the bugs.

"Gatsuuga!" He tore up some of his clothing and managed to get some cuts and gashes on him.

Michi knocked through Kiba and Shino like bowling pins. She was still controlled under the jutsu despite the fact that the man who brought up the technique was dead along with the other Kuroy members.

She started running towards Shikamaru, giving out a bone-breaking kick. Her red glaring eyes were blank when something stopped her kick. Iwao held her ankle in one of his arms. He pulled her closing and gave her a quick punch. Shikamaru watched in awe as Iwao's movements were at great speeds.

"Shikamaru, get Osamu!" Shikamaru followed Iwao's orders and found the boss staggering around with the bugs in his system.

Shikamaru bounded Osamu with his shadow binding, takin advantage of the state Osamu was in. He easily wrapped him with his shadow and started choking him. Osamu stumbled forward and knocked Shikamaru over, ending the bind.

Kiba opened his eyes. "Shikamaru!" Michi looked back at Kiba and Shino who were stumbling up. Michi dashed over there and kicked Shino up into the air. She then grabbed Kiba by the collar and Akamaru and them them into the air as well. They crashed together and Michi kicked them downwards, making the impact more painful.

Yoko fell from the ceiling and landed on her father's shoulders. "Now I'll make you pay for what happened twenty years ago!" she made hands signs but was thrown off by Osamu.

She was hurdling in the air when she finished the signs. She worded out the technique and smiled at Osamu. Her two katana's grew in size and changed in shape. Osamu threw his hilt towards her, hoping to pierce her somewhere.

"Not good enough, teme!" Yoko threw one of her katana's at the hilt, slicing it in half and brought it back pulling her arm backwards. She then threw both at Osamu and both pierced all the way through his shoulders, slicing his left arm off.

"Boss." Michi looked away from Iwao and Shikamaru, took a kunai and then disappeared.

Iwao's eyes went blank. "Yoko!" He started running at full speed, trying to catch up with Michi.

Yoko turned around to find Michi with a kunai aimed to her chest. Everything stopped around her and she stared at the red eyes before her. She felt a sharp pain but at the same time, felt strong yet warm arms pull her away from great pain.

"Iwao-san!" Yoko's stained his sleeve. He looked down to her.

"I can't have you dying as well. Not another." His cold hard face turned soft and caring as he looked down at Yoko.

Michi watched as the cold brother she knew showed true affection for someone. Her head felt heavy, and pressure came all around her forehead and temples. Her eyes went blinking. She grasped her head and screamed with pain.

"This will do!" Osamu did his last hand sign and yelled out, "I'll make you finish the job, even if it kills you!"

Michi's screams stopped and her head turned to Iwao and Yoko's direction. Shikamaru saw everything and turned to Kiba and Shino, they were even struggling just to get to their feet again.

"Kagemane no jutsu!" His shadow went at full speed, still trailing behind Michi, who was running towards Iwao and Yoko.

Iwao's eyes were dark and cold, not about to show mercy to Michi, just because she was under a trance. He pushed his palm and sent Michi flying a few feet away. Shikamaru's shadow was only a few inches away until Michi caught her footing and darted at the two once again, this time she was faster.

"Iwao!" Yoko pointed behind him. He looked behind and was too late to send her flying again.

Blood splattered on all the three's faces. "Yoko!"

Shikamaru still stayed focus even from several yards away. Several senbans were deep in Yoko's chest.

"Got ya" Michi froze as Shikamaru's shadow had her. Shikamaru slowly pulled the senbans out of Yoko, fighting with Michi's strength to put the senbans deeper. Finally the senbans were out.

Everyone was silent. Shikamaru held on to Michi, despite what happened, he couldn't let his focus drift away. Kiba and Shino finally got to there feet.

"Yoko! Yoko!" Iwao was shaking the blood stained body. Yoko's eyes began shutting her eyes slowly.

Michi watched with strained eyes. Her whole body shuddered. Her brother was caring to her, but never like this before.

_"Woah, there, you almost drowned there." A little pigtailed girl looked up and looked at a dripping wet boy who looked a bit older than herself._

_"Who are you?" She coughed out some water. He smiled to her._

_"Tahara Iwao. And you are?" she frowned._

_"Gaki." He gave a playful look._

_"That's not a very good one, eh, Yoko?" She stared at him and sat up with her legs crossed._

_"Yoko? Obviously I'm not friends with the sea!" He gave a big grin._

_"It's for good luck. I hope you'll be able to swim." She gave a laugh._

_"Right, Iwao."_

_Months later._

_"Well, well, I hope Yoko will appreciate this little shed better than that cold warehouse." Iwao jumped down from the roof._

_"I'll just have to wait until she gets back." He propped himself on a bucket that was turned over._

_A figure started running towards him. He disappeared and was on top of the roof looking down. Then the figure came closer and a loud high pitched voice called out his name._

_"Iwao-kun! What are you doing up there?" Iwao disappeared and showed up right in front of Yoko. She yelped at the suddenness._

_"Gah, your always doing that! Always disappearing and popping up all over the place. I wonder if baby Michi will be fast like you one day."_

_Iwao laughed. "It's just a habit, you know that Yoko. Besides look what I built you, a Yoko-sized shed, with all you really need when I'm gone!"_

_"Iwao-kun that's so nice of you, but guess what?!" She pointed down by the river._

_"I learned how to swim today Iwao-kun!" Iwao smiled down at her._

Iwao gently shook Yoko again. "Yoko! Snap out of it! Yoko!" Shikamaru bore with his emotions. He was a shinobi, he shouldn't have to deal with that.

Yoko grasped his collar. Her chest oozing out blood. "Iwao-kun…….."

Iwao looked at her. "I-wao……kun…..i…learned…..how to……swim….today…..Iwao…kun."

Her hand dropped and her head slumped down with her eyes partly opened. Iwao tearfully closed them and set her down. He turned towards Osamu and began running at him, cursing his name.

Shikamaru struggled with Michi as she fought out of the binding. She was fighting to knock Iwao down before he could take down Osamu.

"Damn you!" Iwao gave Osamu a ground blasting kick to the neck. Osamu broke down to the ground choking and gasping for air. He made another hand sign with the only arm he had left.

Michi broke through the bind and gave a punch to Shikamaru gut making him cough out blood. "Dammit! Iwao, behind you!" He looked behind to find Michi with a kunai aimed to his forehead until a window stattered and blood splattered onto Michi pale skin.

Iwao yelled out, "Get out of here dumbass!"

Michi let go of the kunai. Makato had his arms crossed protecting his face. Sweat dripped down his forehead.

"Makato-kun…."Her eyes returned back to normal. Osamu took his last breath.

"Die!" He released the jutsu, making Michi go crazy. Iwao stood over Osamu and gave one last blood thirsty attack.

"Please, Michi-chan, stop it, please." He took her fists. And whispered word into her ear.

Meanwhile Kiba and Shino finally had their footing for a good amount of bones were broken.

"This is a turn around in the mission." Kiba said. Shino looked over to him.

"From this even a numb skull could tell that the whole Kisame deal was a fake." Kiba's face went blank……..

"But, um, is Makato fine to be doing that? He already looks exhausted."

"He'll be fine. A healer could have done a better job though. Seems like Konoha is the place to be."

Shikamaru looked at Michi and Makato. He sunk into his thoughts about Temari and how she went crazy with that fan and he had to clam her down. He sighed as he straightened up.

"It's time to settle this nonsense." Shikamaru binded Michi with his shadow, a hand creeping up her kimono and around her next. Makato went behind Michi with his arm by her shoulders. He leaned over her and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

Michi settled down but once she got a hold of herself, Shikamaru did it. A shrilling shriek came into the air. And Michi fell into Makato's arms. He picked up her lower body and walked over to Shikamaru.

"I'll see you when your going your way." Shikamaru nodded to him. Then Makato went over to Kiba and Shino.

"Thank you you healing me." Shino stayed still. Kiba nodded.

**The Next Day**

"Finally we get to go home!" Kiba jumped on to Akamaru.

"So what will you tell Tsunade-sama?" Shino asked Shikamaru.

"I'll just give this report to her. Hopefully she'll be drunk at the time." Shikamaru walked down the bridge with Kiba and Shino behind him.

"Hey!" A voice called from the bridge entrance. They turned back and saw Makato waving at them. Michi in a wheelchair came out from behind him.

Shikamaru looked over to her. "How ya doing in that wheelchair?"

She looked annoyed. She yelled back, "When I get out of this wheelchair I will seriously kill you!"

Shikamaru looked at the top of the entrance arch. Iwao was there. He had his cold expression again, from losing Yoko. He raised his arm and waved good-bye. Shikamaru smiled.

"Let's go guys! But I want to take a stop by the Sand quickly." Kiba and Shino looked at him weird, but agreed.

**In the Suna**

Shikamaru knocked on a door to one of the brick houses. Temari opened the door and looked surprised.

"Long time no see, Temari." Temari wasn't expecting to see him until the Chunin exams.

"What're you doing here Shikamaru?" Shikamaru leaned against the door.

"That's Detective Nara for you."

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Well, the story is finally done and just in time. School is gonna start in two days! XD I hope you enjoyed the story!**

**ninjamuffinrochelle**


End file.
